Shakib, Shafiul return for Ireland T20s

Bangladesh have brought back allrounder Shakib Al Hasan and medium-pacer Shafiul Islam to their squad for the Twenty20 matches in Ireland and the Netherlands in July. Teenage batsman Anamul Haque and allrounder Farhad Reza are the omissions from the squad that failed to make the final of the Twenty20 tri-series in Zimbabwe. Shakib had been rested for the tri-series.

Akram Khan, Bangladesh's chief selector, said Anamul had been left out so he could focus on the upcoming Under-19 World Cup in Australia this August. "He [Anamul Haque] has a lot of time and I think if he plays in the age-level World Cup, it will bring more maturity to his game," Akram said. Anamul scored only 16 runs in three matches during the T20s in Harare.

Shafiul returned to the side after being sidelined by a shoulder injury he sustained during the Asia Cup in March. "We have always maintained that we are not in favour of major changes in the team," Akram said. "Shafiul is one of our first-choice pace bowlers so his return will be a boost."

The tour begins with a three-match series against Ireland between July 18 and 21 in Belfast. The second leg is at The Hague, where Bangladesh play Scotland on July 24 and Netherlands on July 25. It will be Bangladesh's second preparatory tour ahead of the World Twenty20 in Sri Lanka in September.

Squad Mushfiqur Rahim (capt), Mahmudullah, Tamim Iqbal, Mohammad Ashraful, Junaid Siddique, Jahurul Islam, Shakib Al Hasan, Nasir Hossain, Ziaur Rahman, Elias Sunny, Abdur Razzak, Mashrafe Mortaza, Shafiul Islam, Nazmul Hossain, Abul Hasan.